Tailgate window regulator

ABSTRACT

A double arm tailgate window regulator comprising a toothed sector for each arm, the sectors being mounted with the toothed portions in minimum clearance condition. A separate drive pinion is in mesh with each sector and said pinions are in mesh with each other. Due to the minimum clearance between the toothed sectors, the pinions are substantially displaced from a line joining the pivot axes of the sectors. One of the pinions is directly connected to a motor through planetary gearing.

United States Patent Pickles TAILGATE WINDOW REGULATOR [72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Ferro Manufacturing Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 88,803

Joseph Pickles, Birmingham, Mich.

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 819,035, April 24, 1969, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl ..74/89.11, 49/349 [51] Int. Cl .Q ..F16h 27/02 [58] Field of Search ..74/89.l1, 626, 801; 49/349, 49/340, 351

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnstone et al ..49/349 2,805,886 9/1957 Semar ..49/351 2,452,178 10/1948 Brownlee ..74/801 2,621,544 12/1952 Rossmann. ..74/626 3,566,540 3/1971 Hewitt ..49/349 1,329,945 2/1920 Woolcott ..74/68 Primary Examiner-Milton Kaufman Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr. Attorney-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap [57] ABSTRACT A double arm tailgate window regulator comprising a toothed sector for each arm, the sectors being mounted with the toothed portions in minimum clearance condition. A separate drive pinion is in mesh with each sector and said pinions are in mesh with each other. Due to the minimum clearance between the toothed sectors, the pinions are substantially displaced from a line joining the pivot axes of the sectors. One of the pinions is directly connected to a motor through planetary gearing.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnEc 19 I972 SHEEI 1 OF 2 INVENTgR JO PH PICKLE PATENTEU 3,706. 236

sum 2 or 2 FIG]:

INVENTOR. J05 PH PICKLES BY/l/Z ATTORN S TAILGATE WINDOW REGULATOR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of my prior copending application Ser. No. 819,035, file Apr. 24, 1969 now abandoned.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The windows in station wagon tailgates are wider than ordinary automobile windows and for smooth opening and closing movement it is desirable to employ a pair of synchronously operating regulator arms.

In accordance with the present invention two such arms are mounted with toothed drive sectors rigidly connected to the arms, the toothed peripheral portions of said sectors being directly adjacent each other with minimum operating clearance. This permits the maximum torque or moment arm for the sectors in a minimum of space. The means for driving both sectors and the window regulator arms connected thereto in synchronism comprises a pair of drive pinions one of which is in mesh with each sector, said pinions being in mesh with each other.

In view of the mounting of the sectors with minimum operating clearance between their toothed portions, it is necessary to mount the drive pinions in substantially spaced relation to a line joining the pivot axes of the sectors.

The drive means provided in the present instance comprise an input worm and worm gear and planetary gearing of special design connecting a drive motor to one of the-pinions. With this arrangement the load on each sector independently determines the loading on the pinion teeth in mesh therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the regulating mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a detailed elevational view of the mechanism.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5, FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 6-6, FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 7-7, FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the gear sectors and pinions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1 there is illustrated the lower portion of a tailgate window 10 carried by a frame 12 have two slotted ears 14a and 14b which are connected by means of sliding actuators 16a and 16b slidable in the slots 18a and 18b to the actuating arms 20a and 20b. The arms 20a and 20b are fixedly connected respectively to toothed sectors 22a and 22b. The toothed peripheral portions of the sectors 22a and 22b are spaced from each other, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 8, with minimum clearance, thus affording maximum torque arm for the space'available. The expression minimum clearance" is intended to describe the illustrated condition in which the tips of the teeth of sectors 22a and 22b are as close as possible without interfering with each other. I

The sector 22a is in mesh with a drive pinion 24 and the sector 22b is in mesh with a drive pinion 26. The pinions 24 and 26 are in mesh with each other. The pinion 24 is connected to input power mechanism which will be described in detail. At the present however, it is sufficient to note that the pinion 24 drives the sector 22a and the associated arm 20a through the meshing teeth at one side of the pinion 24 and the teeth of the sector. At the same time, the pinion 24 drives the other arm 20b through the pinion 26 and the toothed sector 22b in mesh therewith. Thus, substantially half of the'total load on the pinion 24 is transmitted through the teeth at one side thereof and the other half of the total load is transmitted through the teeth at theother side of the pinion.

With the toothed peripheral portions of the sectors 11a and 22b in close proximity, it is necessary to displace the pinions 24 and 26 substantially away from the plane joining the axes of the sectors, a relationship clearly illustrated in FIG. 8.

The power input for raising and lowering the window is from an electric motor 30 through a drive shaft 32 having a drive surface connected to a plate 34 drivingly connected to a yieldable sleeve 36, the opposite end of which carries a plate 38 which in turn drives a shaft 40 carrying a worm 42. The interior of the yieldable sleeve 36 is provided with a cylindrical opening 44 which receives a metal pin 46 embedded in a resilient member 48. The end of the pin engages a resilient cap 50 on the inner end of the shaft 40. This assembly constitutes a yieldable connection between the motor and the worm 42.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 4, the worm 42 is in mesh with a worm gear 52 formed on a body 54 which is rotatable on shaft 56. The body 54, which is preferably formed of a suitable plastic material, has its upper end provided with teeth to form the reduced sun gear 58. The housing 60 for the gearing comprises a casting open on one side and includes a cylindrical recessed portion provided with internal teeth as indicated at 62. The shaft 56 has a reduced end portion received in a bushing at the inner side of the recess of the casting and has its opposite end rotatably supported in an opening in a mounting plate as will subsequently be described. The shaft 56 is rotatable in the housing and the gear body 54 is rotatable thereon.

A plurality of planetary pinions, one of which is seen at 64, are provided, each of which is in mesh with the sun gear 58 and simultaneously in mesh with the internal gear 62. The pinions 64 are mounted in a cage comprising an upper plate 66 fixed to the shaft 56, and a lower annular plate 68 which surrounds the sun gear 58. The upper and lower plates support a plurality of pinions, which may be four in number, and are further interconnected by pins 70 and spacers 72 which constitute pivot mountings for the pinions. At its lower end, as seen in FIG. 4, the shaft 56 carries one of the pinions 24 or 26, designated 24 in FIG. 4, which is the pinion in mesh with the toothed sector 22a.

As best seen in FIG. 8 the pinion 24 in addition to being meshed in driving relation with the sector 22a, is

in mesh with the intermediate pinion 26, the latter being in turn in meshed driving relation to the sector 22b.

The regulator structure comprises a mounting plate 76 which asbest seen in FIG. 4 is formed of sheet metal and has a portion 77 thereof partially severed and displaced laterally therefrom. As seen in FIG. 4 the lower end of the shaft 56 is rotatably received in anopening in the offset portion 77 of the mounting plate. The planetary gearing together with the worm gear 42, is completely housed within the recess provided at the lower side (as seen in FIG. 4) of the housing 60, and a closure plate 77a is provided which completes the enclosure of the gearing.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the pinion 24 is located between the offset portion 77 of the mounting plate and the housing 60, and the peripheral portion of the sector 22a extends through the space provided by the lateral displacement of the mounting plate 77. The sector 22a, which is pivoted to the mounting plate to the right of thestructure shown .inFIG. 4, is stabilized by engagement with the embossment 7712 provided on the main mounting plate and an embossment 77c'formed at the edge of the offset portion 77.

The regulator assembly is mounted to tailgate structure 78 by fasteners indicated generally at 80 interconnecting edge portions of the mounting plate to the tailgate structure.

Each of the regulator arms a and 20b are connected to suitable balance springs, as best illustrated in FIG. 6. Here, it will be observed that each sector, as for example the sector 22a, is mounted on a pivot pin or stud 82 which is journaled in an opening 84 provided in the mounting plate 76. Rigidly connected to the stud and to the sector 22a is an arm 20a so that the stud 82 rotates with the arm. The inner end of the stud is slotted as indicated at 86 and receives the inner end of a coil spring 88 the outer end of which is fixedly connected to a wall portion 90 of the mounting plate 76, suitably reinforced by a member 92. Conveniently, the outer end of the coil spring may simply extend through a slot provided in the reinforced wall portion.

In order to provide an adequately stabilized structure while employing metal stampings, the sectors 22a and 22b are each provided with arcuate slots 94 as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, through which extend pins 96 riveted at their inner ends as indicated at 98 to the mounting plate 76. To constitute simple but effective bearing structure while also stiffening the mounting plate, portions of the mounting plate 76 extending along the arcuate slots 94 provided in the sectors are embossed to provide curved bearing surfaces 100 against which the sectors 22a and 22b may slide. It will be observed in FIG. 6 that the sector plates are positioned inwardly against similar bearing embossments 102 surrounding the openings 84 and are retained in contact therewith by means of bushings 104 bearing against radial flanges 106 provided on the pivot pins or studs 82.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Tailgate window regulator mechanism comprising a mounting plate, a pair of coplanar toothed sectors pivotally mounted on said plate with the toothed peripheral portions thereof laterally spaced from each other with minimum clearance so that the tips of the teeth thereof are as close as possible to each other without interfering with each other, a pair of pinions coplanar with each other and with said sectors located in a position spaced laterally from the line joining the pivot axes of said-sectors, said pinions being in mesh with each other, each of said pinions being in mesh with one of said sectors, a geared motor coupled to a single one of said pinions, and window actuating arms fixed to said sectors. 7

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said plate if formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair of stabilizing pins fixed thereto adjacent the edges of said sectors, said sectors having arcuate slots therein through which said pins extend, portions of said plate adjacent said pins and extending along said slots at opposite sides thereof being embossed to provide convexlycurved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sectors to provide limited area contact therebetween.

3.'Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said plate is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair of openings, pivot pins rotatably received in said openings, said sectors and arms comprising assemblies fixed to said pins, the portions of said plate surrounding said openings being embossed to provide convexly curved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sector and arm assemblies.

4. Tailgate window regulator mechanism comprising a mounting plate, a pair of coplanar toothed sectors pivotally mounted on said plate with the toothed peripheral portions thereof laterally spaced from each other, with minimum clearance, a pair of pinions coplanar with each other and with said sectors located in a position spaced laterally from the line joining the pivot axes of said sectors, said pinions being in mesh with each other, each of said pinions being in mesh with one of said sectors, a geared motor coupled to a single one of said pinions, and window actuating arms fixed to said sectors, said plate being formed of sheet metal and provided with a pair of openings, pivot pins rotatably received in said openings, said sectors and arms comprising assemblies fixed to said pins, the portions of said plate surrounding said openings being embossed to provide convexly curved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sector and arm assemblies, one of said pins being slotted at the end thereof at the side of said plate opposite said sector and arm assembly, and a coil spring having one end received in said slotted end and the other fixed to said plate and stressed to assist movement of said sectors and arms in the direction which results in raising the tailgate window.

5. Tailgate window regulator assembly comprising a generally planar mounting plate formed of sheet metal and having a portion partially severed and offset laterally from said plate to one side thereof, a gear housing having a recess at one side and affixed to the other side of said plate to overlie the offset portion thereof, a rotary shaft having one end journaled in the inner wall of said recess and extending outwardly from said recess and having its other end journaled in an opening in the offset portion of said mounting plate, a worm in said recess, a combined worm gear and sun gear rotatably mounted on said shaft and in mesh with said worm, the side wall of said recess being provided I with teeth to form an internal gear a carrier fixed to and with said second sector, and a second arm fixed to said second sector.

7. An assembly as defined in claim 5 in which said mounting plate and its offset portion are provided with bearing embossments engaging opposite sides of said sector.

8. An assembly as defined in claim 5 comprising a closure plate separate from said mounting plate closing the open side of the recess in said housing to enclose the gears therein.

Disclaimer 3,7 06,236.-J oseph Pickles, Birmingham, Mich. TAILGATE WINDOW REGULATOR. Patent dated Dec. 19, 1972. Disclaimer filed Nov. 11, 1974, by the assignee, Fewo Manufacturing CWpomtz'on. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 1 of said patent.

[Oficial Gazette May 6, 1975.] 

1. Tailgate window regulator mechanism comprising a mounting plate, a pair of coplanar toothed sectors pivotally mounted on said plate with the toothed peripheral portions thereof laterally spaced from each other with minimum clearance so that the tips of the teeth thereof are as close as possible to each other without interfering with each other, a pair of pinions coplanar with each other and with said sectors located in a position spaced laterally from the line joining the pivot axes of said sectors, said pinions being in mesh with each other, each of said pinions being in mesh with one of said sectors, a geared motor coupled to a single one of said pinions, and window actuating arms fixed to said sectors.
 2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said plate if formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair of stabilizing pins fixed thereto adjacent the edges of said sectors, said sectors having arcuate slots therein through which said pins extend, portions of said plate adjacent said pins and extending along said slots at opposite sides thereof being embossed to provide convexly curved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sectors to provide limited area contact therebetween.
 3. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 in which said plate is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair of openings, pivot pins rotatably received in said openings, said sectors and arms comprisIng assemblies fixed to said pins, the portions of said plate surrounding said openings being embossed to provide convexly curved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sector and arm assemblies.
 4. Tailgate window regulator mechanism comprising a mounting plate, a pair of coplanar toothed sectors pivotally mounted on said plate with the toothed peripheral portions thereof laterally spaced from each other with minimum clearance, a pair of pinions coplanar with each other and with said sectors located in a position spaced laterally from the line joining the pivot axes of said sectors, said pinions being in mesh with each other, each of said pinions being in mesh with one of said sectors, a geared motor coupled to a single one of said pinions, and window actuating arms fixed to said sectors, said plate being formed of sheet metal and provided with a pair of openings, pivot pins rotatably received in said openings, said sectors and arms comprising assemblies fixed to said pins, the portions of said plate surrounding said openings being embossed to provide convexly curved bearing surfaces engageable with the adjacent surfaces of said sector and arm assemblies, one of said pins being slotted at the end thereof at the side of said plate opposite said sector and arm assembly, and a coil spring having one end received in said slotted end and the other fixed to said plate and stressed to assist movement of said sectors and arms in the direction which results in raising the tailgate window.
 5. Tailgate window regulator assembly comprising a generally planar mounting plate formed of sheet metal and having a portion partially severed and offset laterally from said plate to one side thereof, a gear housing having a recess at one side and affixed to the other side of said plate to overlie the offset portion thereof, a rotary shaft having one end journaled in the inner wall of said recess and extending outwardly from said recess and having its other end journaled in an opening in the offset portion of said mounting plate, a worm in said recess, a combined worm gear and sun gear rotatably mounted on said shaft and in mesh with said worm, the side wall of said recess being provided with teeth to form an internal gear, a carrier fixed to said shaft, a plurality of planetary gears on said carrier in mesh with said internal gear and said sun gear, a drive pinion fixed to said shaft, a toothed sector pivoted to said mounting plate and having its toothed peripheral portion extending into the space between the offset plate portion and the housing and in meshed engagement with said pinion, and a regulator arm fixed to said sector.
 6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 which comprises a second sector pivoted to said mounting plate, a second pinion in mesh with said first mentioned pinion and with said second sector, and a second arm fixed to said second sector.
 7. An assembly as defined in claim 5 in which said mounting plate and its offset portion are provided with bearing embossments engaging opposite sides of said sector.
 8. An assembly as defined in claim 5 comprising a closure plate separate from said mounting plate closing the open side of the recess in said housing to enclose the gears therein. 